Blank Stares
by FairFeatherPen180
Summary: Percy Jackson was about to jump off of a bridge. He was then taken to a mental hospital where he meets new friends, including a girl named Annabeth. What happened in Percy's past to lead him to suicide on that night? And who is Annabeth and why is she here? Percabeth in the latierish chapters Mentions of Suicide and self harm and panic attacks.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own Percy Jackson.**

I shouldn't be here. This wasn't supposed to happen. It was all a secret. I shouldn't be on my way to a mental hospital. I'm not crazy. There is nothing wrong with me.

I was ready, standing with my toes hanging just a little bit over the edge of the cold, metal, bridge. I had enough, I just had to lean forward. There was no railing blocking my fall. I should've just done it. But I hesitated.

"Perseus, Perseus." I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at the man behind the desk. He was dressed in an all white uniform and looked at me with sympathetic eyes.

"Don't look at me like that...please." I say in a tired raw voice. The authorities wouldn't let me leave until I told them everything that had happened that had led me to standing on the edge of a bridge. Which ended up taking all of last night. The man sighed and stood up he put a hand on my back to guide me to an elevator. I flinched away, I didn't like being touched. I couldn't stand it. He let go and walked me over to the elevator. "How long will I be here?" I ask.

"Well, how long will it take for you to prove that you are mentally stable." That's the thing. It wasn't even what had led me to that bridge that had gotten me here. It was just that night, that one night that I had gotten caught about to end my life. I didn't respond I just looked at the elevator floor until we reached the floor I would be forced to live at for who knows how long. He led me down a hallway, past other doors from which I could hear sobbing, hushed talking or silence. Just before we reached the end of the stretch he stopped in front of another door, identical to all of the others. He opened it, revealing the most plain room I've ever seen. White sheets, white desk, white walls and floors. Another room that leads to a small bathroom with a plain white shower sink and toilet.

"You have got to be kidding me, I'm going to end up crazier just staring at this room for just ten minutes." I said in a dead monotone voice. He sighed once more,

"Then don't spend all on your time in here. Go out to the lounge make friends, you know there isn't nothing to do around here. You have a meeting with a therapist at 3:30 everyday starting tomorrow. Somebody will track you down until you learn where it is. Change, and then go out and say hello to people." He left the room, closing the door behind him. I walked over to a small closet, opening it only to find gray shirts and gray sweatpants.

' _At least they aren't white'_ I thought to myself. I threw on the clothes and reluctantly walked outside to the lounge.

There were a group of teens around my age playing Wii bowling by the TV. I decided not to interrupt, I always seemed to have a weird effect on people making them not want to hang around me. If I try to make friends I will end up making people want to be the opposite. So instead I sat at a small table by the wall and watched my hands as I silently picked at the skin around my nails.

It wasn't long until somebody walked up to me.

"...This is where I always sit." I looked up from my hands to see a girl with long wavy blonde hair and gray eyes. She was holding a book and was looking at me with such an intense questioning look it almost felt like she was burning a hole right through me.

"Sorry, I'll leave" I said quietly and started to get up. She quickly responded.

"No!" She paused to collect herself. "You don't have to, I'll just sit in this chair...for the first time ever." She walked to the other side of the table and slowly lowered herself into the chair. Pulling out her book she started reading. I went back to picking at my nails. "You know, you really shouldn't do that." The girl said, looking at my hands which had gained quite a collection of scars from me picking at them over the years. "It's not good for your hands." I huffed.

"It's something I do when I'm bored. There's not really much to do here." I said.

"Have you tried talking to anyone? Make some friends?" I shrugged.

"Whenever I try to make friends it usually doesn't work out very well."

"Well, so far you aren't completely failing with me." She said. I looked up at here and gave a small smile. Which is probably the first time I've sorta smiled in the past couple of months. She returned the smile and closed her book. "So, tell me about yourself." she said. I just stared back at her timidly. "I don't mean that you have to tell me why you are here...yet. Just tell me something about you."

"Like what?" I asked.

"Oh I dunno...maybe your name, favorite color, something you like to do." She said with a hint of a laugh.

"Uh, my name is Percy, my favorite color is blue, and I guess I like to swim." I said.

"Well Percy, my name is Annabeth. I read mostly, but sometimes I draw."

"What do you draw?" I ask, intrigued.

"Mostly things I see around here, I sit here and I watch." She pauses, and drifts away almost like she's reliving memories. Suddenly she snaps back to reality and turns to me "What kind of swimming do you do?"

"What do you mean?" I ask confused.

"Pool or beach? Competitive or noncompetitive?" I continue to stare at her. "You know, do you swim like on a school team?"

"Uh no. I would usually just sneak out at night to the beach and swim there. Can't really do that now."

"It must have been nice, to do that. Even if it was at night and dark." She said staring at the table.

"Yeah, it was."

' _Too bad it's all over now."_

 **Review please.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own Percy Jackson**

"Can you tell me what happened that night?"

"Can't you get it from the police files?"

"I could, but I think it best come from you." I sat in yet another plain, white room with accents of calming blue and maroon. Dr. Wellings sat in a chair across from me with his hands folded neatly in his lap, a suitable expressionless face to go along with his beige outfit.

"I'd rather not talk about it." I say.

"Understandable, we will return to that subject on a later date...What about your background, your family...homelife?" He asked in a tone that I guess was supposed to be soothing. I take a moment to remember the answer to this question.

"My mom-"

"Sally Jackson?" I nodded slowly.

"She died when I was six. My biological father left before I was born and she remarried just before I turned three." My head feels light as I hold back tears from the memory of my mother.

"Who did your mother marry?"

"A man named Gabe." I answer in the shortest way I know how, I could go on and on about what a horrible person he was to my mother. Even though it was forever ago it seems like it was just last week.

"Tell me more about him." I look at my hands, trying to hide my livid expression.

"I hate him." Is all I could manage.

"Why?" I snapped up my head, he must have seen the fire of rage in my eyes. He seems to recoil a bit. Just before I could answer in my outburst of vicious honesty about Gabe, a timer went off from the desk signaling that the hour was up and I was free to leave. I stood up and quickly opened the door and briskly stomped out, down the hall passing the lounge straight to my room. I ignored Annabeth who began to follow me in worry. I shut the door before she got to my room. I couldn't lock it because there were no locks on any of the doors. I entered the bathroom and sat on the floor leaning my back against the wall. I looked straight up trying to keep my tears from spilling over. With no luck I weeped silently. There was a soft knock at the door.

"Percy?" Annabeth's muffled voice came through the door. "Percy are you alright?" The door opened gently. Annabeth's head poked through, her eyes scanned the room until they found me. She crept quietly over to me and crouched down. I didn't even feel mad anymore, I just felt the cold, heavy, weight of my past resting on my shoulders. "I take it didn't go well...I won't ask. May I sit." I shrugged, the tears coming to a stop. She sat next to me with her knees pulled up to her chest.

"Sorry." I say.

"What for?"

"I'm a mess." Annabeth chuckled.

"Aren't we all?" She looked up at me "Sometimes we just need somebody to help carry our problems." The dinner bell rang, Annabeth stood up and offered me her hand. "Come on, maybe the horrible excuse this place has for food will cheer you up." She said with a smile on her face." I took her hand and stood up to go get dinner.

OoO

Later that night we sat on the couch, both of us leaning against both of the armrests. It was completely silent except for the sound of Annabeth's pencil running along the pages of her sketchbook. Suddenly she paused.

"Can you describe the beach? I haven't seen it in so long." She said.

"Well, I often went at night. But I remember the moon casting soft rays of light onto the waves. As they rolled by they would catch the light and they would shimmer a light blue. The sand would be soft, with footprints all over it, until they stop where the waves have washed them away. The sky would show millions of stars spread out across a dark canvas" I pause. Thinking deeper. "Dawn is what you would really want to see. Light beige sand, leading into crystal blue water, an endless view of the rolling ocean. The sky would show a pale orange to a soft pink to a lighter blue. Before anyone gets there you can there the waves and the occasional bird passing by. Other than that it's a blissful silence." As I sat there describing this scene to Annabeth I had my eyes closed, remembering those moments before I would go home to my stepfather. Annabeth's pencil had been nonstop running across a piece of paper at a rapid pace. After about five minutes the came to a stop and turned the sketchbook around. A spot on representation of what I had just described was etched onto the page. "Wow" I breathed.

"Thanks."

"What else have you drawn?" I ask with extreme interest. She turned back a page, showing a sketch of the room from her perspective, with me looking at the ceiling. She turned another page, a group of teens sitting in a circle playing a board game. "These are amazing." I gasped as she continued to turn the pages of the book. Suddenly the lights turned off in the lounge. "I guess it's time for bed. I'll see you tomorrow." We both stood up and gave eachother a hug.

"Goodnight Percy."

"Night Annabeth" We turned and went to our separate rooms. Before I closed my eyes I tried to go deep into my memory, to before my mother married Gabe. To before my life fell apart. My mother, the last time she smiled. We would paint in the kitchen. I remembered my last Christmas with her. My last birthday before she died. The night that I saw her take a handful of pills and the next morning when we took her to the hospital and found out that she was in a coma. Her funeral, where all I did was sob. Gabe never let me visit her grave. I never did until the first time I snuck out when I was thirteen. I didn't think of the consequences I would face until I got back to the apartment.

 **Review Please**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry, I've been really busy lately and had been updating my other story and kind of neglected this one.** **WARNING THERE ARE SOME PARTS OF THIS CHAPTER THAT COULD BE TRIGGERING!**

 **The next day had been one of my worst.**

I woke up with a cloud of misery hanging around my head. I felt numb, I felt like I did when I almost committed- no. I won't say it. It's too much. I lay still and stare at my blank, white ceiling. Shallow breaths, I remember what my mom told me before she died. I had a panic attack and she knelt down to my cowering form in the corner. She took my arms and unfolded them and pulled my knees out from my chest. Pulling me into her lap she said,

"Percy, it's okay. You need to take some deep breaths, it'll make you feel better." It had worked. But my mother wasn't here, she died and now I'm alone with my thoughts and it's impossible to get a deep breath. I slowly stand up, trying to move as much as possible. I need water. Something in my system, I've refused to eat for the past few days. Annabeth said it wasn't good for me. I know she's right. I don't even know why I didn't just jump that night. I make my way to the small bathroom hanging on to the walls. I slam my hands down on the counter to save myself from falling. Plugging up the sink I watch the water fill up. I feel like I'm drowning, unable to get a breath, sinking deeper and deeper into the black hole of sadness. I cup my hands and fill them up with water to take a drink. The water is cool and refreshing going down my throat. I stare at the water, still filling up. It reaches the top of the sink and starts spreading across the counter and down onto the floor. Drowning. Going deeper and deeper. Drowning. The water is enough. I could drown myself. Then it would all be over. I feel my face going lower and lower, closer to the water. Like a trance I am inches from the water. Only the sound of a knock on my door breaks me away from my thoughts. My breathing is unbelievably loud. Another knock.

"Percy? Hey are you okay? It's 11:00 and you haven't come out yet." Annabeth. I can't bring myself to gather a response. "Percy?" I can't get enough oxygen. A haze covers the outside of my vision. The floor is completely wet. I slowly reach over and unplug the sink. Annabeth opens the door. Her eyes widen as they find me in the bathroom, "Oh Percy." I've found myself staring at myself in the mirror, my bloodshot eyes make it look like I haven't slept in ages. Annabeth rushes forward as my knees start giving out. She assists me down to the floor so I don't hurt myself. "Help! Somebody help!" Annabeth yells. Within seconds there is a women in the bathroom, she runs in splashing in the puddles that cover the tile floor. I stare blankly into space, still taking shallow breaths. Annabeth has backed up to the door frame as the lady crouches in front of me.

"Percy, Percy look at me." I snap back into reality and my vision clears slightly. "Percy I need you to try and take really slow, deep breaths. Okay?" She seems disappointed when I don't respond. "Percy, breathe with me" She takes a deep breath, I breathe with her. She lets it out and takes another. I do the same. The pain does not stop, with every. Single. Breath. It feels like my lungs fill with more and more water than before. I fail the next time she tells me to breathe in. "Come on Percy, please. Just a little more. Breathe." It's too painful, my vision becomes blurry with tears as my eyes fill up.

"I...can't" I manage to make out between short, shallow breaths.

"Percy." I see my mother the next time she speaks. "Percy you need to listen to me." She sounds like when I had my first panic attack when I was little. Through the haze I see her, the women has turned into my mother, with her welcoming face and bright eyes. The mother I knew before she started abusing substances. Before she took the pills and left me with Gabe. The mother I would paint with in the kitchen, she took me to the beach. We would watch movies together every night. I remember when she took me to my very first day of school and how I wouldn't let go of her no matter how hard she tried to pry me off. My second 'first day of school' when we tried again and this time I actually went. Her laugh, her smile, her voice, all floods my mind at the same time. It's somewhat calming. I soon realize that I am breathing slower than before, deeper breaths that actually feel like air instead of water. Relief spreads throughout my body. I finally look up, I can see clearly, I look at Annabeth, who is holding onto the door frame like she's holding onto her own life, tears streaming down her face. I look back to the women, who no longer looks like my mother. The panic attack may be over but the cloud of sadness still hangs over me. The lady helps me up and walks me over to my bed, where I lay down despite being soaked. I don't want to sleep again, because I know he will be there when I close my eyes. The women leaves the room and Annabeth turns to leave the room as well.

"Wait." I say with a scratchy voice. Annabeth turns around, sniffling. "Don't leave me alone." A look of sadness crosses her face. She makes her way towards the bed and sits beside me, she puts her hand on my arm, testing to see how I will react. I've never really been one of those people who can't stand people touching them after a panic attack. After seeing that I don't mind the contact, she moves her hand to my hair. Moving her fingers in between the strands. Her tears don't stop, she lets out a sob and engulfs me into a hug. I sit up to return it, we are both crying now.

"That was terrifying." Annabeth says. "I don't like seeing anyone like that, especially you." I burry my head deeper into the crick of her neck as a response. After a while of silence I speak.

"I hate it when that happens."

"How often does it happen, and don't feel like you have to answer that if you don't want to."

"It's fine, it hasn't happened since the night I was brought here, but before that...two or three times a week."

"Oh Percy." She hugs me tighter.

"That's not the worst of it, but I don't want to talk about it right now."

So she doesn't ask.

 **Sorry again for not updating sooner.**

 **Please review.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm so terribly sorry for not updating, the truth is I haven't written anything since school got out. I just haven't felt the motivation to write anything. On the bright side...Who else is really excited for Ship of the Dead, which comes out in October?! Anyway, this is supposed to be a kind of sad story but I feel like because last chapter was kind of really depressing that maybe this one should be a little lighthearted...ish.** _ **Warning, I talk about some things that may be triggering for some people.**_

 **Percy's POV**

It's not often that I have a not terrible day. My days used to consist of many terrible events one after another, constant threats, frightening sights and unbearable pain. Now my days consist of reliving those memories in detail...one after another. To share these personal experiences with a person that I don't even know, let alone trust...it doesn't feel right. It feels like somebody is trying to pick apart the things deep inside of me, pulling out the most painful, rotten parts of my mind as if they are trying to replace them with better, newer ones to fix me. Only I don't feel fixed. I feel bare, and numb. I feel violated, not in a physical sense, but mentally where I've been forced to spill all of my deepest, darkest fears.

"Percy, I can't help you unless you tell me _something"_ He says.

"You won't be able to fix me anyway...I'm _broken, unfixable"_ I retort.

"Tell me why you feel that way." Dr. Wellings just didn't seem to understand. I don't want to tell him. I don't want to tell anybody.

"I shouldn't have to share anything with you."

"Why not?" There's the question he asks every time. It's my breaking point, I hit a wall. I can barely keep the words from overflowing from my mouth.

"Why not? WHY NOT? It's my life! Nobody should ever feel like they are forced to share painful memories with somebody else! I didn't CHOOSE to have Gabe as a father! I didn't CHOOSE to watch my mother overdose on DRUGS!" I'm yelling now. Standing up from my chair. "YOU THINK I WANTED TO BE LEFT ALONE WITH THAT _MONSTER_? NO! If I had WANTED that...I wouldn't be here right now. I wouldn't be in this ROOM, talking to a man that wants to pick me apart from the inside out because he says he can _HELP ME_. _You can't HELP ME._ I'm _DAMAGED._ I'm _sick_ and _tired_ of people saying they can _help_ if I just open up. _You. CANNOT. Help me._ " I open the door before the timer ending our session goes off. Slamming the door behind me I storm down the hall. I hear Dr. Wellings call out after me but I ignore him and keep walking all the way to my room.

 **Annabeth's POV (wait what?)**

The moment I see Percy walk past the lounge and into his room I know that Dr. Wellings had gotten something out of him. We have still failed to talk about why he's here. Then again, we haven't spoken about why _I'm_ here either. After I hear his door slam, I sigh and stand up from my spot at the table in the corner. Walking over to his room shyly, I raise my fist and knock softly on the door.

"Percy?" I say softly. "Percy it's Annabeth, can you let me in?" I wait a little bit before the door opens slowly. He doesn't say anything, just looks at the ground with sad eyes. "Hey" I say quietly. He raises his head a bit. I ease the door open a little bit further so I can see him fully.

"I just-" He tries to speak but can't." I place a hand on his shoulder to see how he reacts. He seems fine.

"I know, it's okay." I say as I pull him into a hug. He hugs me back tightly I almost can't breathe. When we break apart he pulls me into his room and we sit side by side on his bed. I take his hand on mine. "You know you can talk to me about anything. I'm here for you."

"I just wish he wouldn't be so invasive. It's not like I ask him about his past, personal experiences." He vents.

"I wish the same thing. He just doesn't know what it's like to experience something and then be forced to talk about it." I respond.

"How do you stand it, Annabeth? You rarely come out of that room looking upset." He looks me in the eyes.

"I've had a lot of practice. Plus, in my case. I learned quickly here that if you don't tell somebody, it's going to get worse...a lot worse. But I do wish that it wasn't him that I had to tell." Percy nods. I grip his hand a little tighter. "Percy, you have to understand...that if you keep it inside forever, bottled up. You won't ever get to leave this place. Sometimes you just have to take a deep breath and let a little bit go at a time. Start with somebody you trust, even if it's the lady that comes in here every morning to give you your meds." I say with a little chuckle. He turns to me, a really serious look on his face.

"I trust you." I probably look really shocked because he freaks out a little bit. "But you don't have to listen if you don't want to."

"No! No no no. I'll definitely listen! How about this? We go back and forth and I'll tell you something about why I'm in here, and then you tell me a little bit about why you're in here. Just as much as you're comfortable with." He nods but stays quiet. "Okay, I'll go first." I think of what I'm going to say before I start. I take a deep breath. "I'm in here because I self-harm." Percy turns to me wide-eyed.

"Really? You seem really put together." He says.

"Well, everyone hides things. Whether they mean to or not." I pull back my sleeve and show him lines and lines of scars, some are even fresh."

"How do you have fresh ones?" He asks, surprisingly calm.

"Ah, nope. That would be two questions. It's your turn. Remember, deep breath and let a little bit go." He nods.

"Ok….I almost jumped off of a bridge."

 **Yup, I just did that. I feel like if I end on somewhat of a cliffhanger I will feel more motivated to write sooner. Let's hope I'm right!**


	5. Chapter 5

**So it turns out that ending on a cliffhanger didn't help me write sooner. I actually kind of forgot about what happened at the end of the last chapter. Also sorry it's so short, but a chapter is a chapter right?**

 **3rd Person POV**

"I almost jumped off a bridge." Annabeth's eyes widened.

"Oh my gosh, Percy. That's terrible, I can't imagine what you must have gone through to get to that point." Percy's eyes were haunted, remembering the events of not too long ago that _had_ brought him to that point.

"My mom...she overdosed on pills. My step-dad beat her. Beat me. He would lock me in me room for days. I would escape out of my window to visit her grave after she died. After that I was alone. When I went to school I would try to hide the bruises, eventually I just stopped going to school. Gabe never cared enough to notice. I would leave at the same time I would for school, but instead of going I would just sit at the beach or on a bench at the park and think about my life before it turned so...so sour." Tears brimmed on the edge of Percy's eyes and threatened to spill over. He pushed the heels of his hands into his eyes to stop them. A small hand took his and he looked up with red eyes.

"I never went through what you went through, but we're all in here to get better. This is how you get better. By telling people and getting your inner demons out and off of your chest." Annabeth said.

"I like this a lot better than that horrible counseling office." Percy muttered between sniffs.

"I know; I do too." Annabeth stood up and took both of Percy's hands. "Come on. Let's go out into the lounge" She pulled him off the bed and into the big room. They sat at the table where they first met. Annabeth brought over her sketchbook and opened it to a clean page. "I want to try something new. You tell me what you see and I'm going to draw it. Or better yet, make something up."

"Okay." Percy thought for a moment. "I see a dirt path in autumn, with gold and red leaves on the ground covering the path and grass. Along the walkway is an old fence, make out of a dark wood. It's crooked in some spots. On the other side of the fence is a grassy green hill that slopes down to a stream. There's a tree with orange leaves overlooking the pathway. A couple is too far away to make out who they are but are just close enough to see their silhouettes." Annabeth finished the drawing and shut her sketchbook. "Don't I get to see it?"

"Nope! Not now at least." She smiled and hopped off the chair. We both moved to the couch. Her smile disintegrated. "Have they told you how long you'll be here?"

"No not yet. How about you?"

"Only a couple more days. People don't stay here all that long. I'm pretty sure you'll be out really soon after. Only if you open up to Mr. Wellings."

"How long does the average person stay here?" Percy asked.

"Two weeksish?"

"How long have you been here?"

"Four months. I can't wait to feel the sun again." Annabeth closed her eyes as she imagined the warm feeling.

"I'm happy for you. We'll have to meet up once we're both out." Percu suggested. Annabeth looked really solem.

"Actually Percy, it's like really _really_ against the rules to keep in contact with anyone else here after you get out. I don't know why."

"Oh" Is all Percy said.

"I'd really love to, but as of right now I don't think we can make that happen."

"Oh" Percy said again. Just when he thought he had made his first friend in 6 years. It was going to be ripped away from him in a couple of days.

 **Sorry it took so long. Please review**


	6. Chapter 6

**So this will be the second to last chapter for this story. It will be this and an epilogue. This chapter also won't be a full chapter. It will be kind of short. The epilogue chapter will be a little longer. I'm sorry to disappoint anyone, but I'm afraid that I won't be able to update all that frequently. I need to only have one story going at a time. For those of you that are interested, I have another story that's in progress called A High School Percabeth. I don't plan on stopping that one any time soon.**

 **Percy POV**

We tried to make the most of those couple of days that we could. The more time I spent with Annabeth, the more I realized I was getting better. I could talk with the therapist without breaking down. I'm pretty sure that they could see it too. I was smiling for the first time in months. Annabeth and I would stay up each night. I would describe the things that I could remember from outside. She would do her best to draw them. I would tell her about the sun and how it felt on my face. She hasn't seen the sun in forever. She'll get to see it tomorrow morning. For tonight, we just sat. This would be the last time I would see her before saying goodbye.

"Are you excited?" I asked. "To see the sun again?" She nodded.

"I haven't seen it in what feels like forever. I'll miss you Percy." She started tearing up.

"Don't you start saying goodbye before tomorrow." I said.

"You know, there's still a chance that we could find each other just by accident." She said.

"I know, but how long will it be until that happens?" She shrugged. The lights went out.

"I think that's our cue to go to bed." I said. Annabeth silently wiped a tear from her face.

"I guess I'll see you in the morning then." She said. I nodded. I stood up and offered her my hand. She took it and stood up as well. I pulled her into a hug.

"Don't you forget about me." I said into her hair.

"Hey. don't you dare start saying goodbye until tomorrow morning." She laughed. I did too. We pulled apart.

"Goodnight Annabeth."

She smiled. "Goodnight Percy."

The next morning I woke up one of the employees telling me that Annabeth was about to leave. I jumped out of bed, and pretty much ran out of my room. Annabeth was waiting for me by the door. I pulled her into a tight hug.

"Don't worry, I won't forget you." She whispered.

"I won't forget you either."

"I love you Percy." She sniffed.

"That's the first time I've heard those words since my mother died. I love you too."

"You can get out of here. You're strong."

"Visit the beach for me. At night when the sunsets, and then in the morning when it rises."

"I will. I promise, and I'll think of you when I do."

"It's time to go." another employee said. We pulled apart from each other.

"I'll miss you" we said at the same time. Tears making their way down our faces.

"Goodbye, Percy"

"Bye, Annabeth." I said for the last time.

She walked out the door, looking back until it shut. And then she was gone.

 **Review**


	7. Epilogue

**This is the last chapter. Super short. Sorry.**

 **3rd Person POV**

Since he had been released from the facility last November he had been doing better. He got out only 3 months after Annabeth left. Percy started cooperating more and the therapist saw that. Gabe was pretty much nonexistent. He had been taken to jail for 15 years. Percy got an apartment and was living a pretty okay life; ten times better than it was before the mental hospital. The panic attacks only rarely occured. He smiled now. When he first got back he went to the beach before the sun came up so he could watch it rise over the horizon. He had breathed in the cool autumn air and relived the scene that Annabeth drew that one night in the hospital.

He was doing the same thing now.

Only now it was the summer air that he breathed in. His eyes closed. The soft sand beneath his hands as he supported his sitting figure with them. The light outside of his closed eyelids became brighter and he knew that it was time. He watched the sun as it peaked out far across the ocean. He came here every so often and he just sat. The sunrise being even more magnificent than it had been the last time. Always different It was here that he felt close to Annabeth. He shared this memory with her. It was his secret, and it had become theirs.

Percy stood up and walked closer to the water. He let the calm waves lap over his bare feet and he just stood, content and unmoving. The wind blew the smell of the salt water that he had become all too familiar with across his face. He began to walk down the shore, toes sinking into the wet sand. Eventually he met up with another trail of footprints. Percy looked up. It was way too early for someone else to be at the beach. He looked up, and followed the footprints. He saw a figure, too far away to recognize. As he got closer and the figure got clearer. He began to see the details of the person. He saw the blonde hair that whipped around the girl's head. She was faced away from him. He got closer. He knew that hair, the figure. Percy didn't need to see her face to know who she was. He gently put a hand on her shoulder. Jumping slightly she quickly spun around. Eyes filled with panic, but then the panic disappeared. They stood aghast and they just stared. The girl spoke.

"Percy"

"Annabeth"

 **Do with that what you will. Use your imagination to make up what you think happens after that. I'd love to hear what you come up with. Leave it in the reviews or Private Message me! Thank you to everyone who stuck with me through this. I know it was pretty tedious.**


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